Island



UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

AROHIBALD J. MACDONALD, OF NORTH TIVERTON, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TOHENRY E. TOWNSEND, TRUSTEE.

BATTERY-ZINC.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,173, dated November11, 1890.

Application filed February 20, 1890. $erial No. 341,198. (No specimens.)

To to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD J. MACDON- ALD, of North Tiverton, in thecounty of Newport and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Battery- Zincs, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification.

The zines now generally used in galvanic batteries are coated withInercury,which forms an amalgam upon the surface of the zinc andprevents the adhesion of hydrogen to the zinc and the consequentweakening of the battery. The mercury also acts to render the zinc morepositive than unamalgamated zines. In the use of these amalgamated zinesthe amalgam becomes detached by the wasting away of the zinc, therebyleaving the un amalgamated zinc exposed.

It is the object of myinvention to produce a battery-zinc in which themercury will be so united with the zinc that the plate will act as anamalgamated plate until wholly consumed, and will be unaiiected bytheexciting solution when the circuit is broken, thereby increasing thepower of the battery and preventing waste of zinc.

This battery-zinc is made in the following manner: First,a certainquantity of mercury is placed in a ladle and gradually heated, asuitable temperature being between 212 and 300 Fahrenheit. An amalgam ofmercury and sodium or potassium, or other suitable metal, is then madein a separate vessel, and some of this amalgam is placed in a jarcontaining a solution of asalt of ammonia,which is decomposed by themetal with which the mercury is amalgamated, a suitable salt beingchloride of ammonium. Chemical action takes place, and the product is anamalgam of mercury and ammonium. This amalgam is formed in quantities asmay be desired. A small portion of thissay in the proportion ofone-quarter of an ounce of the amalgam to six pounds of mercuryis thenadded to the heated mercury, and then sufficient zinc in small pieces isadded to harden the mercury. This alloy is then added to the melted zincfrom which the plates are to be cast in any desired proportion, and thena small portion of magnesium, preferably in a powdered form, is added tothe melted zinc.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is-

The process, substantially as described, of making battery-zines, whichconsists in adding to heated mercury an amalgam of mercury and ammonium,then hardening the mercury by the addition of zinc, and then adding aportion of this alloy to the melted zinc from which the battery-zinesare cast, and finally adding magnesium.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 28th day of January, A.D. 1890.

AROHIBALD J. MACDONALD.

Witnesses:

J. H. GUEST, ALEX. L. HAYES.

